Cruel Irony
by ShadowRebirth37
Summary: AU. Post-manga. After joining the 'good guys', Raven thought things would calm down. He was VERY wrong. Shadow has laid eggs, and the hatchlings are a handful. But when one is a deadly type of Organoid, things get much worse... Bad summary. Please R & R!
1. Slight Mishap

**AN**- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! Well… this is my first manga-centric fic, and this is also going to be my first humor fic. ^^ Well, not at first, but it will get funny after the first few chapters. Real funny. Real freaking hilarious. XD But, the first few chapters will introduce two OCs, that will be crucial to the rest of the story. And also, this fic will begin a few months after the last book in the manga. That means Raven is now good, and they are all based inside Horai, the giant floating fortress-like Zoid. And following the differences of the manga, in this fic, Shadow will be female, and Raven will have a twin brother named Donnie. Yeah… that'll take some time to get used to. ^^; But, I hope you like this fic! Seriously, this fic is meant to be funny and taken lightly, but there will be serious parts in places. Anyway, enjoy the fic!! XD

**Disclaimer**- Nope, Zoids doesn't belong to me. And the manga isn't mine either, that honor goes to Michiro Ueyama. But, I do however own this fic and my OCs, and the Shadow figurine perched on top of my computer. XD

**Note**- Even if you haven't read the manga, you should still be able to follow along and understand pretty well. I highly suggest you look for the manga. It's very hard to find these days, but its well worth its price. There are 14 books, and personally, book 14 is the best, but each one is extremely good. You can't call yourself a Zoids fan until you own at least one book of the manga. Highly recommend it. Personally, I think it's better than the anime! But, again, this fic is based off of it and not the anime. So things WILL be different. Just to let you know, characters will have different personalities and backgrounds and pasts and such.

* * *

_**.:Cruel Irony:.**_

"Donnie, does the room have to _so_ dark?" Raven complained, sitting beside Shadow in a nearly pitch-black room. Donnie was looking Shadow and her nest over, following Horai's advice.

"Sorry Joyce, but it being dark will keep Shadow more at ease and help keep her calm. After all, we don't want her to be fully awake and agitated when we take the eggs, do we?" Donnie responded, looking over at Raven. Raven shook his head no. He did _not_ want Shadow to go nuts when they took away her two eggs.

"How much longer 'til they hatch, Donnie?" Raven asked, looking over at the eggs Shadow was curled around. The silver eggs reflected what little light there was, making them glitter. One was smaller than the other, although Donnie had said that it was common for one egg to not survive in a first clutch. "Donnie, do you think that one egg will survive? I don't know how Shadow would take loosing one of her two chicks…"

"I think it's dead Joyce… I mean, its small, and it hasn't really moved or made much noise since it was laid…" Donnie said grimly, looking at the smaller egg darkly. The egg beside it was larger and moved and made lots of noise, but the small one rarely made noise and hardly ever moved.

"Should we… move it then? Put it somewhere warm and watch it? Just to see if it hatches?" Raven suggested, getting up and walking over beside his twin brother. Donnie narrowed his eyes slightly in thought.

"I know, let's take it to Horai! She'll know!" Donnie said suddenly, smiling at the mention of Horai. Raven nodded and knelt down to Shadow, putting his hand on his Organoid's snout. Shadow purred and nuzzled his hand, closing her eyes happily. Raven smiled slightly and patted her snout, before he carefully picked up the egg, moving slowly so not to upset Shadow. She snorted at him and tightened her tail around her remaining egg, narrowing her eyes unhappily.

"Sorry girl, but it's for the good of the egg…" Raven said, holding the delicate egg carefully as he and Donnie left Shadow alone with her remaining egg in the dark room. Donnie shut the door, as Raven had his hands full.

"Let me lead the way, I doubt you remember how to get to the Core…" Donnie offered, walking in front of Raven. He didn't care much; he trusted Donnie and was focused on the egg in his arms. It seemed… different than the other one. This one seemed a slightly darker color, although it could just be the black of Raven's shirt reflecting on its mirror like surface. The black seams and rivet-like spots were the only breaks in the uniform grayish-silver color, making it look less organic.

Suddenly, Raven heard something, like someone shouting boo followed by a loud roar, further down the hall. Donnie seemed to hear as well, for he stopped the moment he did. It was quite scary how alike they were, despite growing up in completely different households. "What was that?" Raven asked quietly, tightening his grip on the egg slightly.

"I'm not su-" Without warning, Zeke came barreling down the hallway, roaring loudly in panic. He rushed past Donnie and thwacked him with his tail in his blind panic, knocking him back into Raven, sending both boys to the ground on their backs with a shout of panic, Donnie landing on top of Raven…

_SMASH!!!!!!_

Raven felt a strange wetness on his chest, and sharp stabs of pain, like he was being stabbed. Donnie scrambled off him and looked at Raven, gasping in horror and scrambling backwards. "Raven!" he shouted in fear, his eyes wide and focused on something. Raven's vision was blurry from the impact, but he could feel a… weight on his chest. He looked down, and saw the crushed remains of the egg on him, bits of the metal eggshell buried into his chest and arms, drawing blood. But he didn't care about that, even if they were driven in deep and close to his heart. His eyes were transfixed on the hatchling that had moments ago been inside the egg.

The small, frail chick was sprawled on top of him, unmoving and covered in slime and bits of shell. It was black like Shadow, with small but slightly similar crests and appearance. But it was… different. Swirls of violet covered its body, and crumpled silver wings lay useless at its sides. But what caught his eye were the twin fangs showing in its small jaws.

Donnie was looking at it in shocked horror, completely frozen. He appeared afraid of it for some reason. Raven tried to get up, but found he couldn't; the fall had made him more than a little dizzy. Donnie helped him up, and Raven picked up the seemingly lifeless hatchling. It was light as a feather in his hands, and cold as ice. He wiped away the clinging slime and eggshell from his chest and arms, the fluid making his skin feel strange; he figured it was probably poisonous.

"Is it… alive?" Donnie asked, looking at it curiously. Raven shrugged, holding the frail creature carefully in his hands. He held it up and looked at it, fearing that it was dead. He hardly registered the fact that blood was dripping from punctures on his chest and arms, sharp shards of the metal eggshell having sliced into him. Blood streamed down his arm, dripping down his fingers and onto the chick.

Then, it moved.

Raven watched as it seemed to come to life, taking a weak, shallow breath. Its eyes slowly opened, glowing a bright, icy blue. It opened and closed its tiny jaws, making a quiet, weak noise. It moved slightly in Raven's hand, shakily lifting its head and making a squeaking cry.

"Uhh… what do I do?" Raven asked, looking at Donnie. Donnie shrugged, his eyes locked on the chick. Raven was transfixed with the hatchling, not understanding how it was alive. It squirmed slightly in his grip, making a distressed noise. Raven responded by holding the fragile hatchling closer to his body, shifting it so it rested in his arms like he would hold a child.

Strangely, the hatchling quieted, shifting slightly in Raven's grip like a kitten. It flapped its oversized, crumbled wings and made a cooing noise, pressing its frail, cold body into his bloody chest. Raven blinked his eyes in shock, not expecting the hatchling to act like he was… its mother or father, or something.

"Donnie… um… what should I do?" Raven asked, looking up at Donnie. "How should I know? I've never seen a hatchling before…" Donnie said, his eyes focused on the tiny hatchling. "The only thing I can tell for sure is that its female… she's thin and has different eyes than a male…" he said, pointing to the hatchling's glowing eyes. She squeaked and tried to hide from him in Raven's arms, pressing herself more against him. Donnie looked up at his brother. "What are you going to name her?"

Raven opened his mouth to respond, when he felt a strange sensation on his arm, a tickling or stroking almost. He looked down, and saw the hatchling licking at one of the gashes from the eggshell. Her tiny, pale pink tongue appeared to be lapping up the blood. He blinked his eyes curiously, finding it strange that the hatchling was drinking his blood, and that he wasn't feeling any pain. "Umm… what is she doing?" he stated flatly, watching the newborn hatchling curiously.

"I don't know brother, but… it doesn't look good…" Donnie said, his eyes glued to the frail chick, "… I don't think letting her drink your blood is good… she might take a fondness to it and… well…" he trailed off.

"Don't worry Donnie, I just think she's hungry. Umm… what do you feed a baby Organoid, anyway?" Raven asked, looking up at Donnie. His twin brother shrugged.

"I don't have a clue Joyce, maybe Horai-" he was cut off as Van came running down the hallway, probably after Zeke. He was laughing, but skid to a stop upon seeing that Raven was holding something. But Raven wasn't in the mood to talk with him.

"Van! Did you scare Zeke?!" Raven growled, trying to hide the fragile creature from Van's sight. Van grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, I jumped out and scared him to death!!" Van beamed, until he caught sight of the hatchling Raven was cradling. "What's that?!" he said, bringing his face right up to the chick. She squeaked and clung to Raven's shirt, her eyes squeezed shut, terrified of him.

"Well… you made Zeke run into us, and smashed Shadow's egg!!" Raven snapped, turning away from Van, trying to keep the hatchling from panicking. Van looked at him dumbly.

"Shadow's a girl?" Van cocked his head slightly and blinked. Raven rolled his eyes.

"Yes… Shadow is a girl, and you almost killed her hatchling!" Raven hissed, narrowing his eyes. Van seemed completely unfazed.

"Ha! Your Organoid is a girl!!" Van mocked, beginning to laugh. Raven sighed and closed his eyes, trying to keep from killing Van.

"I don't have time for this Van! Just get lost!" Raven snarled, turning and walking away towards Horai's Core. Donnie turned and followed him. Van scratched his head.

"What'd I do?" Van muttered, sighing.

* * *

Raven looked down at the tiny hatchling in his arms. It was growing livelier by the moment. She was moving around and flapping her wings, squeaking and chirping. She wasn't trying to get out of his hold; she seemed like she was just trying to figure out how to move. Raven shifted her carefully so that his right arm was free, and hesitantly stroked her head. The chick made a startled squeak, but quieted, looking up at him with white-tinged blue eyes. She cocked her head, shifting around in his arms, fluttering her delicate silvered wings. She cooed and rubbed the side of her face against his finger, chirping softly.

"Heh… she likes you, Joyce…" Donnie said, looking back at him, smiling. Raven rolled his eyes slightly, but didn't turn away from the chick he was holding.

"She probably just thinks I'm her mom or something… that's all…" Raven said, continuing to stroke the frail chick. Donnie chuckled slightly.

"No… I talked with Horai a few days before Shadow laid…" Donnie said matter-of-factly, "… hatchlings form a bond with their mother while their still in the egg. So, she knows you're not her mother…"

"But then why is she so calm and relaxed with me?" Raven asked, blinking his eyes.

"Well… you spent a lot of time with Shadow after she laid, and you talked to her, right?" Donnie asked. Raven nodded slowly, not knowing what he was getting at. "Well, the hatchling probably recognizes your voice, and knows you aren't a threat. That… or she just likes you…"

"Great… now I'll have two Organoids to look after…" Raven rolled his eyes, although the notion didn't really bother him that much.

"I could always watch the second egg, brother, if this one is too much of a handful…" Donnie offered, glancing back at him. Raven nodded. He had a feeling that two hatchlings and a mother Organoid would be too much for him. Besides, Donnie would need an Organoid partner to keep him company while they were away.

Looking down at the hatchling, Raven noticed that she was licked at the gash again. She seemed to have a strange affinity with blood. He didn't stop her, instead he watched as she licked up the blood that still oozed from the shallow cut. He began to ponder what she was doing, when he remembered the fangs. _'I wonder if she's a vampire? No… vampires don't exist…'_ he pushed the notion from his mind, finding it absurd. But, he did get the feeling that she needed some sort of food, so he let her continue to lick at his wound without interruption. After all, it wasn't hurting him, so what was the harm?

Raven was fascinated with the tiny hatchling, stroking and rubbing her fragile head. She stopped licking at the wound and lifted her head. Her eyes were closed happily, and she was making a purring noise. "You like that, don't you girl…" Raven said quietly, smiling slightly. For some reason, he felt attached to the fragile hatchling, like he felt attached to Shadow. _'It must have to do with the fact that she is related to Shadow…'_ Raven told himself, continuing to stroke the delicate hatchling.

"Did you ever decide on a name for her, Joyce?" Donnie asked suddenly, glancing over his shoulder at his brother. Raven blinked and looked down at the hatchling, seeing her looking up at him and wagging her tail like a puppy.

"… Corva…" Raven answered, stroking the hatchling's head gently. She seemed to respond to the name instantly, and perked up, flapping her wings and chirping.

"Corva? That's a unique name. But it fits her somehow…" Donnie replied, continuing to lead Raven towards Horai's Core. Corva chirped and shook her delicate body, rubbing the side of her face against Raven's chest. Raven smiled slightly and gently rubbed her, surprised with how fond he had grown of the chick.

Raven tore his eyes from Corva and looked at where the eggshell had slashed his chest. Most of the wounds had stopped bleeding, but they felt strange. He was seriously thinking that the slime inside the egg had been poisonous.

As if in response, Raven suddenly grew dizzy, stopping and groaning. Donnie immediately took notice. "Joyce? Are you alright?" he asked in concern, turning to him. "I…. I-I don't know…" Raven stuttered, staggering on his feet. His vision began to fade and blur, suddenly weak and tired. He started to fall, but Donnie caught him.

"What's wrong?!" Donnie asked, panic showing in his voice. Raven couldn't answer, unable to even stand anymore. Corva squeaked in fear and clung to Raven's shirt, terrified. Donnie was supporting him, Raven's left arm across his shoulders, keeping him from collapsing.

"S-something… wrong…" Raven breathed, Donnie having to hold him up, "… the egg… s-omething… in t-the… egg…" he forced out, knowing that something inside the egg must be poisonous or affecting him. Or, that one of the shards had pierced deep enough to make him bleed internally. He held on to Corva with his free arm, making sure she didn't fall. She was crying loudly, obviously panicked. Raven couldn't do anything, and just managed to hand her to Donnie with the last of his strength. He took her from him, and Raven's energy seemed to completely leave him. If not for Donnie, he would have collapsed and been unable to move.

"C'mon brother, we need to get you to Horai; she'll be able to help you…"

_**.:End of Chapter 1:.**_

* * *

**AN**- heh… umm… I'm gonna go and… curl up in the corner and die now. I _know_ that was terrible. But it's my first time writing the manga, so it's a little difficult since I almost exclusively wrote the manga before. Cut me a _little_ slack, okay? Anyway, I hoped you like. It'll get funnier in later chapters, I promise. Especially in next chapter, when Raven meets Horai, the bright and cheery spirit of the Zoid everyone is in at the moment. Poor Raven… XD I hope you liked, and please leave a nice review!!

I tried a different style with this. Reading the manga influenced me a bit. And also, I know arathia is gonna mention this, but just for the record I did NOT take unpublished book 15 into consideration when writing this fic. Just to avoid confusion. And a quick note- Shadow was put into her capsule with the eggs inside her, so Zeke is NOT the father. And also, I've been wanting to write about Raven with a hatchling for a long time. Sorry if this chapter was short and fast, but I wanted to get everything set up. Next chap will be better, I promise. ;D

And special thanks to Sparky, Kokoro and Wolfy!! Without you three, this fic would never have been posted!! ^-^

_**~Ibeyla ^^**_


	2. Vareix

**AN**- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! Yup… time for chapter 2!! Poor Raven… poisoned by his own Organoid's egg. Today is just not his day. XD So now, Donnie is taking him to Horai, the 'spirit' of the Zoid everyone is in. So, antisocial, quiet Raven is gonna have to be in the same room with a bright and cheery apparition. Poor him. XD Anyway, this chapter will reveal just what Corva is, and also what poisoned Raven. So, here is chapter 2- Vareix! (that'll be explained shortly XD)

**Note**- Horai is the apparition of the spirit of the Zoid Raven and Donnie are currently in. But this isn't like a normal Zoid. She's an 'old-world' Zoid, or a Zoid that doesn't really fit the normal description. Horai is actually a giant floating castle-like Zoid that has the appearance of an open flower. But, in her true form, she looks similar to Fiona and has fairy-like wings, and is _extremely_ bright and cheery and happy and talkative. Polar opposite of Raven in every way basically. She is also smart, and knows a good bit about Zoid-related things.

* * *

Raven woke up slowly, feeling weak. He groaned and opened his eyes, blinking slowly. His blurry vision focused on a figure kneeling over him. "D-Donnie?" he asked weakly, blinking slowly. Donnie nodded, and helped Raven into a sitting position. Raven groaned and clutched at his chest, gritting his teeth as he felt a dull ache where he had been slashed.

"Don't move Joyce, you'll only make it worse…" Donnie said, helping Raven stay up. Raven moved a little, and leaned back against the wall. Donnie was kneeling beside him; he looked extremely worried and concerned. "You were right Joyce; the fluid inside the egg was toxic… but thankfully not deadly…" he said, sitting down beside him. Raven blinked slowly and brought his hand to his head, groaning.

"I have the _worst_ headache…" Raven moaned, gritting his teeth slightly. His entire body hurt, especially his torso and arms, where the eggshell had injured him. He suddenly remembered Corva and looked around for her. "Donnie… where's Corva?" he asked, slightly panicked. Donnie indicated to a bundle next to him.

"She wore herself out. She was curled up with you for the longest time, but I figured she would need a softer and warmer place to sleep, so I wrapped her in a blanket…" Donnie said, picking up the bundle and handing it to Raven. He took it from him and undid the blanket, anxious to see if the hatchling was alright.

Corva was curled up in the middle of the soft fabric, sleeping soundly. She was snoring softly, almost like a cat. Raven smirked slightly and gathered the tiny hatchling up in his arms, keeping her in the blanket, trying to keep her as comfortable as possible. She opened her eyes and yawned widely, exposing a second set of fangs, blinking and lifting her head. She chirped upon seeing him, wagging her tail inside the blanket.

"Hey Corva…" Raven said, gently stroking her head. Corva purred loudly, grasping his hand with her tiny claws, pulling herself up slightly so that she could see him better. She cooed and rubbed the side of her face against his finger, closing her eyes. Raven stroked her, before he covered her back up in the blanket. He knew that she was vulnerable and weak; she appeared to be nowhere near hatching-development, and would need to be watched closely. Corva squeaked in protest of not being able to play, but quickly calmed down.

"Donnie… where is Horai?" Raven asked, looking around the room. For the first time he realized how strange the room looked. The walls seemed bowed in, giving the room a slightly spherical shape. The surfaces of the room were covered in hundreds upon hundreds of hexagons, and there was a strange column in the center of the room. He honestly had no clue where he was. It looked familiar for some reason…

"Hello sweetie!!" Horai said happily, suddenly appearing right in front of Raven. He yelped and jumped, nearly dropping Corva. Donnie snickered at him. "Donnie sweetie, is this your brother?" she asked, looking over at Donnie. He nodded, and Horai looked back to Raven. "Then you must be Joyce!" she beamed, patting the top of his head. Raven gave her an annoyed look. She was completely unfazed.

"Horai, we needed to ask you a few questions about hatchlings…" Raven said, trying to keep Corva from making any noise. She was more than a little startled from being nearly thrown.

"What do you want to know, huh sweetie?" Horai asked, ruffling up his hair slightly. Raven snorted and shook his head, knocking her hand away. Horai huffed and stood up.

"Alright… so what do you need to know?" she asked, fluttering her dragonfly-like wings and fiddling with her hair.

"Well… do Organoid hatchlings need to eat?" Raven asked, trying to keep Corva quiet. Horai tilted her head and appeared deep in thought.

"Well… if I remember correctly, normal hatchlings receive energy from their mother for a few weeks, a couple will nibble on anything they can, but a rare mutation, the Vareix, need blood. But, Vareix were wiped out long ago, because they were deadly, vampiric, evil Organoids. So you won't have to worry about them…" she said, seeming nervous and tense at the mentioning of the Vareix.

"Okay… the next thing is, what happens if an Organoid egg is smashed and the chick inside lives? Do we have to do anything special?" Raven asked her, worried that Corva would have complications due to her premature hatching. Horai cocked her head slightly, and moved directly in front of Raven.

"Is that what's in the blanket? A baby Organoid? Can I see?!" she asked quietly, a sense of curiosity in her eyes. Raven nodded, holding the bundle out a little so Horai could get a better look at it. She fingered the blanket, moving the top layer aside. It fell away, revealing Corva, curled up and sleeping.

Raven picked her up carefully, letting the blanket fall to the floor. He held Corva close to his chest, cringing slightly at the sharp pain that shot through him from the contact. Corva purred and snuggled into him, holding onto his hand with her soft, tiny claws. Horai was smiling broadly, seeing the fragile little hatchling.

"Aww… she really likes you Joyce!" Horai said, smiling, "… that's strange for a hatchling to grow so fond of a human so quickly… hmm… that's very strange…" she mused, looking at the hatchling more closely. Corva stopped nuzzling Raven and looked at Horai, blinking her silvered ice-blue eyes. Horai giggled and stroked her muzzle, and Corva purred.

"What's her name?" Horai asked, continuing to pet the fragile chick.

"Her name is Corva…" Raven answered, not really liking Horai touching Corva. He was getting oddly protective of her, and tightened his grip slightly, despite the pain it caused him. Corva made a soft squeak, opening her jaws, showing her tiny teeth. Horai shrieked and jumped away, hiding behind the central column, shaking. "Horai, what's wrong?!" Donnie and Raven asked in unison, looking at Corva.

"Vareix!!" she shrieked, hiding behind the column again. Donnie grew pale.

"You… y-you mean…" he stuttered, looking at the hatchling Raven was holding. Raven looked down at Corva, seeing only a weak and frail hatchling, not a bloodthirsty monster. Donnie walked over to him. "Brother, you should put Corva back in the bl-"

"Joyce, Corva is dangerous Vareix!! She has to be destroyed!!!" Horai said, not coming anywhere near them, "Vareix may seem harmless and cute when they're little, but as soon as they mature, they turn like a snake and kill those close to them! All Vareix are evil, Joyce; when Corva grows up, she'll kill you… you have to kill her now while she's weak, or you'll be the one who dies…"

Raven looked down at Corva again. She had fallen asleep in his arms, her head resting on his chest; her soft, calm breathing like that of a kitten. He couldn't even bring himself to think of hurting her, even if she was a 'Vareix'.

"I'm not going to kill her…" Raven said, holding Corva closer to him, "I'll take my chances, but I won't let you or anyone kill her just because of what she is…" he growled, turning and leaving the room. He wasn't going to stand for it anymore. All the sudden motion had woken up the little hatchling, making her yawn quietly and stretch out like a cat. Corva looked up at him and cooed softly. "Don't worry Corva, I won't let them hurt you… it's not your fault that you're a Vareix…" he said quietly, stroking her head. Corva purred softly, licking his hand rubbing her head against his palm like a kitten.

Raven couldn't help but smile. He couldn't understand how anyone could even think of hurting such an innocent hatchling. Corva chirped and snuggled against him, laying her head on his wrist and closing her eyes, falling asleep in his arms. _'She's harmless… how can Horai even think of killing her?'_ he thought, shifting Corva slightly in his arms, not understanding how they could be so keen on destroying the helpless chick.

"Joyce!!" Raven turned around, and saw Donnie walking towards him. He must have been running, because he was panting and struggling to catch his breath.

"What Donnie?" Raven snapped a little harshly, tightening his grip on Corva slightly. Donnie hesitated slightly at his tone, but recovered.

"I want you to see something in the library… you need to know what a Vareix is, and what they've done…" Donnie said, motioning for him to follow him. Raven sighed but followed, still cradling Corva in his arms. _'I don't care what he shows me… I won't let them kill Corva…'_ he repeated, subconsciously stroking the hatchling. Corva purred softly in her sleep, licking his wrist before she settled back in to continue her nap.

"Donnie… I won't kill Corva… and I won't let anyone else kill her either…" Raven said suddenly, knowing his brother was thinking about it. Donnie turned to him and sighed.

"Joyce… I don't want to hurt Corva either, but you don't _know_ what she _is_…" he sighed, "… there are books in the library here that'll help you understand why Corva needs to be… destroyed…" he said, trailing off as he led Raven into the large room. Hundreds upon hundreds upon _hundreds_ of books lined the shelves of the room, making Raven stare for a brief moment.

Donnie seemed to know exactly what he was looking for. He pulled a large leather-bound book from the shelf and opened it, setting it on a table. "Horai told me about this book. Its full of Ancient Zoidian legends and writings, and one of them, is about Vareix…" he said, opening it and flicking through the pages. Raven stood next to him, still holding Corva.

"Here Joyce…" Donnie said, stepping aside so Raven could see. The page was covered in strange symbols that made no sense to him, but he wasn't looking at that. The right page was covered in a large, warn picture, depicting a large, lean Organoid. It looked strangely like Corva, although a crest of red spines covered its head and extended from its shoulders, hips and tail-tip. A pair of large fangs showed in its open jaws, and blood appeared to cover its jaws. There was an eaten body at its feet.

"Joyce… this page talks about a Vareix that had been hand raised to maturity by a Zoidian. It still turned and killed not only the person who raised it, but everyone it had known, and anyone it could catch. Listen… if you keep Corva, she'll end up like this, and kill not only you, but also everyone else inside Horai…" Donnie said darkly, looking between him and Corva, "… and, the book said that, it targets the person it first fed upon as soon as it matures. And… that was what Corva was doing when she was licking at your cut, she… she was _feeding_ on you, Joyce…"

Raven looked down at the sleeping hatchling he was holding. Corva was snuggled into his chest, her head resting lightly on his wrist, snoring softly as she slept in his arms. She was completely vulnerable, yet trusted him with her life. "Donnie… I can't… I can't let anyone kill her. She's Shadow's hatchling, I can't let her _child_ be killed… it just isn't right…" he said, looking up at his brother. Donnie sighed, but he knew his brother well enough to realize there was no convincing Raven of otherwise.

"I understand… but, you have to realize, that by keeping Corva… you're signing your own death warrant…" he warned, his eyes serious and dark. Raven looked down at Corva, still sleeping soundly in his arms.

"I know… but I can't let one of Shadow's two hatchlings be killed just for being a Vareix… it's not right…" Raven said, shifting Corva gently in his arms. Corva yawned and woke up, lifting her head and blinking her white-blue eyes. She chirped and rubbed her head against his shoulder, stretching her neck and licking his cheek. Raven smiled and stroked her head gently, making her purr softly. "See Donnie… look at her… she's completely dependent on me and trusts me… I can't even think of letting something happen to her…" he said, not taking his eyes from the purring hatchling.

"Now Joyce, if you're gonna look after her, you realize that… you're gonna need to feed her. And since she's Vareix… that means blood. Since she has already tasted your blood, she will probably refuse to take any other kind of blood, and that means… you'll have to let her feed off you. And from what I've been able to translate, human or Zoidian blood makes Vareix grow faster… that means she'll mature quickly, around a year or two. Before she matures, you're going to have to let her go, so she won't kill us all…" Donnie advised, knowing that what they were doing was most likely suicide. Raven nodded, knowing the risks.

"What will we do if Shadow's other egg is Vareix?" Raven asked suddenly, the idea crossing his mind. Donnie blinked in surprise.

"I don't know…" Donnie said quietly, "… we can only hope that Corva was just a rare mutation, and the other egg is normal…" he said, putting the large book away.

"Let's hope so… one Vareix is more than enough…" Raven said, continuing to stroke Corva. The hatchling cooed softly and shifted in his arms, licking his hand with her tiny, soft tongue. Raven smiled, rubbing her head and streamlined crest, making her coo softly. She rubbed her face against his finger, wagging her tail happily. Donnie smiled as well.

"I was wrong… she does deserve a chance… after all, she is a living, feeling being…" he said, walking over to Raven. He petted Corva, making her turn to him. She cooed and licked him, purring loudly. Donnie's smile broadened.

"She likes you, Donnie…" Raven said, smirking. Donnie nodded, rubbing the hatchling's head, before he started to walk out of the room. Raven quickly followed him. Corva settled back down, huddling against his chest and sighing softly, laying her head back on to his wrist, closing her glowing eyes. She snuggled back into his chest and squeaked quietly, falling back into a light nap.

Raven cringed slightly as the hatchling did that, his body still sore from the gashes and cuts and poison from the egg. Donnie turned and looked at him, as if sensing his distress.

"That poison will take a few days to get out of your system, but it shouldn't be dangerous. At least, that's what Horai said…" Donnie tried to reassure him, "… she said that it'll make you feel weak and sore and make it difficult to move. She said something about it being a defense, so that if someone broke an egg, they wouldn't get far and the mother could… well…" he trailed off, but Raven knew what he was going to say.

"I just hope Shadow understands that I didn't smash her egg on purpose, and doesn't attack me…" Raven said, sighing quietly. He knew his Organoid was already aggressive, and showing up with her hatchling and poisoned by the egg didn't sound like a wise decision.

"Maybe you should wait before you go to see Shadow… if she sees that you were poisoned by the egg, she'll probably attack… and in her stressed state, she could kill you…" Donnie warned, glancing at him. Raven nodded slowly, knowing the risks he would take. He looked down at Corva, who was sleeping calmly in his arms. He knew that she needed to be with her mother, and the sooner the better.

"I'll take my chances… Shadow needs to see her hatchling and I'm going to take her to her, poisoned or not…"

* * *

**AN**- heh… sorry… I know this chapter wasn't much better. But, I just need to get things settled in and introduced before I really get into the storyline. The next chapter will be better, including Corva's first encounter with her mother, and Shadow's reaction to Raven with her hatchling! Oh boy… XD Anyway, thanks for reading, and please leave a nice review! Flamers will be fed to Shadow!! ^^

_**~Ibeyla ^^**_


	3. Introduction

**AN**- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! Yup… another update!! ^^ I'm really liking how this fic is being received. Lol. Everyone seems to love little Corva. Who wouldn't? She's an adorable little hatchling… and a vampire, but she's cute! XD Let's just hope Raven's decision to raise her doesn't turn out to be a fatal mistake. After all, Vareix were eradicated for a reason. ^^; Anyway, here is chapter 3- Introduction!

Btw, just a little head's up, in the manga, there is a little bit of cursing. But no worries, the worst was 'damnit' I believe. But, I'll use some of my Zoids-related substitute curse words instead. And maybe a damn or too. ^^

* * *

Raven and Donnie stood outside the door to the room Shadow had nested in. "Now Joyce… you need to be careful… Shadow might attack you…" Donnie warned, "Keep Corva covered until you're sure Shadow isn't going to attack, to protect her…" he said, opening the door, since Raven's arms were full with the hatchling. Raven nodded, knowing that Corva was vulnerable in her state. He stepped in, and Donnie shut the door behind him.

Raven blinked his eyes, unable to see clearly, the sudden change in light leaving him blinded. Shadow hadn't reacted to him entering, and he figured she was probably asleep. Corva shifted around in her blanket, making a barely audible squeak. She was obviously upset. Raven couldn't stroke her to calm her down, not wanting to expose her to Shadow too quickly; Donnie had said that Organoid mothers sometimes reject chicks that hatched away from them, or worse, killed them. Shadow's eyes flashed open upon hearing Corva's almost silent cry, her gaze falling on Raven. She snorted loudly, blinking, her vision clearly still blurry from sleep. Corva made another squeak of protest, wanting out.

Shadow lifted her head and growled lowly, but calmed down upon seeing it was Raven. But she quickly became agitated, her gaze intense. She stood slowly so not to disturb her egg nestled in its nest of blankets, her amethyst eyes looking him over. _'Helkat… she knows… she knows I'm poisoned from the egg…'_ Raven cursed mentally, taking a step back reflexedly. He tightened his grip on Corva, trying to protect her.

"S-Shadow… calm down…" Raven said quietly, trying to calm her down. Shadow narrowed her eyes and snorted, taking a step closer. Raven stepped back, tightening his grip a little more on Corva. She squeaked and started squirming in the blanket, poking her head through the fabric. "Corva no!" Raven whispered harshly, trying frantically to cover her back up. Shadow zeroed in on her immediately, stalking towards him.

Shadow lowered her head to Raven's level, sniffing his face, opening and closing her jaws. Raven closed his eyes and turned his head away, thinking she was going to clamp her jaws on his throat. Shadow growled and lowered her gaze to Corva. The hatchling was looking right back at her mother, sniffing Shadow's massive nose and leaning out of Raven's hold. Shadow sniffed her back, no aggression in her movements. She purred and licked Corva, wagging her tail, showing she accepted Corva.

Raven sighed in relief, pulling away the rest of the blanket, fully exposing Corva. Shadow made a crooning noise and began licking her, telling Raven that she saw nothing wrong with Corva. Raven kneeled down and sat Corva gently down on the metal floor, letting Shadow reach her with ease. Shadow purred and continued licking her fragile body, cleaning her with her tongue like a cat. Raven sat down quietly, watching the two Organoids with idle interest.

A glint in the nest caught Raven's eye. He stood back up and cautiously walked past Shadow, leaning down to the nest. He could see the remaining egg, nestled into the warm fabric. The possibility that the egg could be Vareix weighed heavy on his mind, and he wondered if he should take it to monitor it. _'Horai said the hatchlings need to receive energy from their mother when they hatch… so if this egg is a normal hatchling, it would be best to let it stay with Shadow… but if it's Vareix, it needs to be socialized immediately…'_ he thought, sighing quietly.

Corva chirped and got free of Shadow's constant licking, standing shakily, but falling with a loud cry. Raven immediately turned around, and gently picked Corva up in his arms, holding her close to his chest. "You're alright…" he said softly, stroking her head to calm her down. Corva looked up at him and blinked her metallic eyes, before cooing softly and snuggling into his chest.

Shadow turned and sniffed Raven's face, licking his cheek. She nuzzled his shoulder and purred, as if saying she was glad he was taking care of her hatchling. "I'm fine Shadow… and Corva is too…" he said, standing back up. He looked over at the egg and sighed. "Shadow… I'm going to need to take your egg…" he said quietly. Shadow growled and cocked her head in question. "Well… you see, Corva is Vareix, and if this egg is Vareix, it'll need to be socialized quickly, so it won't attack us…" Shadow sighed and lowered her head slightly in reluctant agreement, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry girl… but it's for the best for the hatchling…" he said, knowing his Organoid was upset.

He shifted Corva so that one of his arms was free, and carefully picked up the large egg, standing. It was more than a little difficult to carry both a hatchling and a large, heavy egg, but he somehow managed. He couldn't pet Shadow to say goodbye, so he told it to her instead. She nodded and curled up around her now-empty nest, like she had when she had had eggs still in it.

As if knowing he was ready, Donnie opened the door, and Raven walked out. "You took the last egg?" he asked, shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah… I just figured that if this one is Vareix too, that getting socialized as early as possible might reduce the risks…" Raven said, handing Donnie the egg.

"Let's get this to the medical room… we don't want another… accident…" Donnie said, indicating to Corva. Raven nodded.

"You're going to need to watch the egg closely Donnie… so that the chick will bond to you…" Raven said, shifting Corva back into a more comfortable position. Corva chirped and nuzzled his arm, licking at his healed cut. Raven looked at her oddly, not understanding what she was doing or what she wanted. "Uhh… Donnie? What is she doing? Does she want something?" he asked, looking up at his twin. Donnie turned and looked at him.

"I think she's hungry, Joyce…" Donnie said, looking at the tiny hatchling. Raven looked at him.

"Great…" Raven rolled his eyes slightly, "… does she know how to eat? Or will I have to force her?" he asked, stroking Corva as he talked.

"Well… she knew to lick at your cut when she first hatched, so I think she'll know what to do…" Donnie said, shrugging, "I suggest just making it as easy for her as possible…"

"Hey Donnie, I've been meaning to ask, but _why_ do Vareix need blood? I mean, their metallic, why do they need food?" Raven asked, looking up from Corva. Donnie bit his lip in thought.

"I think that book said something about Vareix needing the antioxidants and iron, copper, and the other metals and minerals in blood to keep their bodies functioning. I'm not entirely sure; the text of the book was faded from age…" Donnie said, looking down at Corva, "… the book also said something about Vareix having paralytic venom, and that their saliva had numbing and weak paralytic compounds. I think it makes their host not feel any pain…"

"Host? That's nice…" Raven rolled his eyes sarcastically, "… anyway, get that egg to the medical room before it gets too cold… Shadow won't be too pleased with you if her egg died under your care…" he said, turning, beginning to walk to his room. Donnie gulped slightly at the thought of an angry Shadow, not wanting her to eat him. He turned and quickly took the egg to the medical room.

* * *

Raven shut the door behind him, walking into his quarters. It wasn't much, just basic furniture and modest décor. He sat down on the bed, still holding Corva. The hatchling chirped and shifted, squirming out of his hold and into his lap. Raven smirked and stroked her back gently, making her purr. She turned and nosed his arm, licking at the cut again, making a quiet growl.

"Okay Corva…" Raven sighed, pulling out his pocket knife. Corva looked up at him and cocked her head, making a soft coo. "What, Corva? I'm just gonna feed you…" he said, rubbing her head. She purred and closed her eyes, wagging her tail slightly. Raven rolled up the sleeve on his left arm, flicking out the blade. He gritted his teeth and made a small cut on his lower arm, blood dripping from the wound. Corva turned and looked at the cut, gazing up at him and making a curious "prrt?" noise. "Go on Corva…" he said, wanting to get it over with.

Corva whined quietly, nuzzling his chest. "Corva… just go on and do it… you aren't gonna hurt me…" Raven said quietly. Corva looked at the cut and shifted in his lap, sniffing at the tiny wound. She nosed him a last time, before she began licking at the cut, lapping up the blood with her tiny pink tongue. Raven cringed slightly, but the pain faded as she fed. _'Donnie mentioned something about their saliva… it must numb the pain…'_ he thought, watching the Vareix hatchling feed with a strange fascination. She wasn't using her fangs, like he thought she would, and was just licking up the blood that oozed from the wound.

As he watched Corva feed off him, Raven started to feel… strange. He found it difficult to concentrate, his thoughts hazy and muffled. His eyes closed slightly, growing sleepy as she drank his blood. "Okay Corva… that's enough…" he said, pulling his arm away. Corva didn't fight or try to keep feeding, and instead nosed his chest in worry, whining softly. Raven put pressure on the tiny wound, but it wouldn't stop bleeding.

"I probably… should have grabbed some… gauze or something, huh… Corva?" Raven said, smirking weakly. Corva looked up at him and chirped, grasping his finger with her tiny clawed hands, whimpering loudly in concern. She shifted around in his lap again, nosing his hand away from the still-bleeding wound. She started licking at the cut again, her tiny tongue tickling him slightly. Raven looked down at her and narrowed his eyes slightly, not liking how she was trying to feed off him again.

He opened his mouth to scold her, when he realized that the bleeding was slowing as Corva licked him. She was spreading a thick, clear liquid onto the cut, sealing the tiny wound and stopping the bleeding. She stopped and looked up at him, nuzzling into his arm and chirping. He smiled slightly and managed to stroke her back. "Thanks girl…" he said quietly, leaning back against the wall. Corva purred quietly and snuggled against him, laying her delicate head on his wrist.

Raven was too tired to even lay down properly on the bed. Something was making him feel strange. _'Venom… Donnie said something about Vareix having some sort of venom… and with the poison from the egg… it must be affecting me, making me so weak and tired…'_ he thought, closing his eyes. He knew that if she wished, Corva could easily reopen the wound and feed off him again, but he trusted her enough that he felt comfortable sleeping.

Corva made a quiet noise and curled up in his lap, falling into a light slumber. Raven weakly stroked her back, finding it hard to move. He sighed and relaxed, and quickly fell asleep as well, not at all worried about the Vareix asleep on his lap…

* * *

Donnie looked at the egg he was entrusted to watch, wrapping it in warm blankets. The large silvery egg was almost completely covered in soft fabric, much like the nest Shadow had used, and was sitting on the table, where the sunlight could warm it. _'I wonder how long it will take for the egg to hatch?'_ he thought, looking at the egg, _'I hope the chick isn't a Vareix like Corva… I don't think we could handle two Vareix…'_ he mused, knowing another Vareix would be more than a handful.

As he watched the egg, he began feel strange. He had felt like this once before, when Raven had remembered his past. Being twins, he and his brother were tuned in to the other, so they could tell when the other was stressed or hurt. And now he could tell his brother was distressed. _'I think the poison from the egg is just making him feel sick… if he was hurt or scared, I'd sense it…'_ he reassured himself, though he was still worried for his brother, especially considering he was with a Vareix that could turn on him like a snake at any moment.

The sound of someone walking into the medical room broke Donnie's thoughts, making him look over. "Hello Donnie…" Fiona greeted him, before she saw the egg, "What is that?" she asked, looking at the large silvery egg curiously.

"Hey Fiona…" Donnie responded, "That's one of Shadow's eggs. I'm just watching it and waiting for it to hatch…" he explained to her, sitting up slightly in his chair.

"Van mentioned something about a hatchling… is that true?" she asked, sitting down in a chair in front of his. Donnie nodded.

"Yeah… but the hatchling is with Raven now. He's going to take care of her…" he said, looking back at the egg. Fiona followed his gaze.

"That other hatchling… it's a Vareix, isn't it…" she said quietly, not looking away from the egg, "I sensed when it hatched, I sensed the danger it posed…" Donnie looked over at her and blinked.

"Yes… she is…" Donnie sighed, "But she's already bonded with Raven, so we can't kill her… I'm afraid we're just going to have to watch and see if she turns aggressive… and if she does…"

"We'll have to kill her…" Fiona finished for him, her gaze still on the egg. Donnie flinched slightly at the notion, but he knew that it would have to be done if Corva turned on them.

"I just hope Raven will be able to recognize aggression in Corva… and that he'll let her go…" Donnie said quietly, not knowing if his brother would be able to let Corva be killed if she turned out to be as aggressive and bloodthirsty as legend described.

"If not… he'll put us all in danger…" she said, getting back up. She glanced back at Donnie before she left. "Thanks for telling me, but promise me you won't let Raven's attachment get in the way of everyone's safety…" she said seriously. Donnie nodded, knowing she was right.

'_If Corva does turn aggressive, she'll have to be killed, and Raven will have no say in the matter…'_

* * *

**AN**- Sorry not much happened in this chapter, and that there was no humor, but this was one of those rare serious chapters. ^^; So… poor Raven… everyone, even his own brother, is against his keeping of Corva. At least Donnie is partly sided with him. ^^ Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter!! Thanks for reading, and please leave a nice review! All flamers will be fed to Shadow!! But, non-flamers, you're safe, so no worries. ^^; But, what will be in the unhatched egg? Is it Vareix? And if it is, will it be as even tempered and good-natured as Corva? You'll just have to tune in next time and find out!! XD

_**~Ibeyla ^^**_


	4. Everyone's Worst Fears

**AN**- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! So… Raven, Shadow and Donnie, sort of, are the only ones against the killing of sweet little Corva! Shadow accepting her could be seen as a clue, but then again, it might not. ^^ And there's the other egg to worry about. Will it be Vareix too? You'll just have to read on and find out! XD I tried to make this chapter a little more funny, but I'll leave that up to you, the readers, to decide if my effort was worth it. ^^; Anyway, here's chapter 4- Everyone's Worst Fears!! (that just _screams_ badness, don't it? XD)

Btw, dialogue written like this /Hello/ are Organoids speaking to one another. I'll use this mostly for chats between the hatchlings, and maybe between the hatchlings and Shadow.

* * *

Donnie had dozed off in his chair in the medical room, tired from all the day's events. But the egg wasn't waiting for him to wake up; the hatchling inside had broken free of its shell. A large, blue and silver hatchling was standing on the mirrored surface of the table, licking away the clinging slime from its tiny body. Crumbled grey wings hung at its side, dripping with clear fluid from the egg.

The tiny hatchling was colored like a dolphin, with a blue top and silvery underside. Its throat and belly were a dull grey, and was soft to the touch. Two spiraling horns extended back from its head, giving it a dangerous look. Its eyes glowed as red as fire, making it appear almost demonic. Its long, narrow tail was tipped with an ornate arrowhead, appearing razor-sharp and deadly. Claws seemingly much too large for the young Organoid armed its nimble hands, showing it was more than capable of defending itself even at such a young age. Its rear talons were the same silver as its claws, and were as sharp to match. Despite it being only minutes old, it was able to stand and walk; showing that it would be a powerful Organoid when mature. Twin silvery fangs showed from its jaws, confirming Donnie and Raven's fears of it being Vareix.

After cleaning the fluid from its body, the chick looked at Donnie with blood-red eyes. He made a low growl-like noise, narrowing his eyes. He hopped off the table, shaking his body and yawning, exposing rows of needle-sharp teeth and Vareix fangs. He looked at Donnie and narrowed his eyes, as if contemplating whether or not to feed off him.

The hatchling turned and hobbled out of the medical room, trying to steady himself on his feet. He was quickly walking normally, and crept silently down the hall, following the mental presence of his sister. He kept in the shadows, hiding his body from the prying eyes of anyone that he encountered. No one saw the chick, and he slunk unnoticed towards Raven's room, searching for his missing clutchmate.

He lifted his head and sniffed the air, and made a quiet whine. His mother was missing along with his clutchmate, and his father was nowhere within his senses. That distressed the hatchling greatly, making him whine more loudly. Hatchlings aren't supposed to be alone, and the fact that he was alone was upsetting the newly-hatched chick.

Moving in the shadows, the chick followed his sister's mental presence to a room. He stopped at the closed door, staring at it unhappily. He could tell his sister was behind it, and he wasn't about to let it keep him from his sister. He leapt up and latched onto the handle, tugging downward, opening the door. It swung open slowly, and the hatchling dropped down to the floor. He closed the door behind him, not wanting to draw attention.

/Sister?/ the young male called out to his sibling, glaring at the human asleep on the bed. He could sense his sister, but not see her, and he was getting more and more worried that the sleeping human had hurt her somehow. The black-haired human was lying down, facing him, though asleep and unable to see him. His arm was hanging over the side of the bed, his fingers a few inches from the floor.

/Sister? Where are you?!/ he cried, lashing his tail. He stepped closer to the human, narrowing his blood-red eyes. _'This human must have hurt my sister!!'_ he thought, smelling blood from the human. To him, it seemed like the human had tried to hurt his clutchmate, and she had fought back and wounded him. He could also sense that he was poisoned from his sister's egg.

Growling in anger, the male hatchling stomped over beside the bed, glaring death at the sleeping human. He narrowed his glowing red eyes, snorting and lashing his tail. He shook his horned head, baring his tiny fangs and needle-like teeth. He was about to tear open the human's wrist, when he heard a soft chirp.

The male lifted his head at the sound. His sister was looking down at him from the bed, her icy eyes blinking sleepily. She cocked her head, cooing softly.

/Sister? Why are you with this… human?/ the chick asked, cocking his head. Corva laughed quietly.

She chirped and nuzzled Raven's arm, showing she trusted him, before pulling her head back and curling up again. The male cocked his head again, confused on why his sister was so trusting of the human. He jumped up onto the bed after his sister, trying to find her. She was curled up against the human's chest, seemingly asleep already. The male chick walked over to her, leaning down and nosing his tiny sister. She snorted and curled up more tightly, obviously wanting to go back to sleep.

The male looked at the human again, not understanding why his sister was so trusting of him. He took a moment to realize that this person was Raven, his mother's partner. _'That explains why my sister was so trusting of him…'_ the nameless chick mused to himself. He looked back at his sister, but she was sound asleep. Sighing, he turned back to the human. He was bored, and a bored hatchling was not a good thing to have.

In an effort to keep himself occupied, the nameless male chick jumped onto Raven's shoulder, fanning his grey wings. He chirped and wagged his tail for no apparent reason other than his own amusement, and smiled broadly, showing his twin fangs. He fanned his wings again; his ruby eyes glowing in the dark. He was too occupied with himself to realize he had woken Raven up…

* * *

Raven slowly woke up, feeling something on his shoulder. At first he thought it was just Corva, but when he realized Corva was curled up against his chest he knew it wasn't her. That concerned him. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking slowly, still tired from the poison and letting Corva feed off him. He looked over towards where he felt the weight, and saw two glowing red eyes.

"What the Helkat?!" he yelped, jumping up, causing the unknown thing to tumble off him with a yelp. Corva squeaked in surprise, looking around frantically. Raven didn't respond to her, staring at what had been on top of him just moments ago. It was another hatchling. It got to its feet and shook itself, looking at him and snorting. It hopped up and down and made an unhappy noise, narrowing its eyes at him, obviously upset with being knocked off him. Corva squeaked again and climbed into his lap, obviously wanting attention. Raven stroked her to calm her down, but continued to look at the new hatchling.

It huffed and wandered over to him, sitting on its haunches a foot away from him. The hatchling stared back at him, an extremely unhappy look on its face. Raven blinked and stared back, confused on where the hatchling had come from. _'It must have come from the other egg… but… Donnie was watching the other egg…'_ he thought, _'… could something have happened to him?!'_ he started to worry for his brother. Although, the hatchling _seemed_ harmless enough…

Raven held out his hand to the hatchling, testing its reaction. It sniffed at his fingers, and got to its feet. The hatchling sniffed at his outstretched hand again, making a curious noise. It blinked its glowing eyes, and started rubbing its head against his fingers, purring loudly. Raven couldn't help but smile. He picked the hatchling up carefully and brought it closer, setting it down next to him and Corva. It chirped and huddled against his side, cooing softly and licking his hand.

"Well… you seem friendly…" Raven said, petting its back. It chirped happily and nuzzled him, licking him again. Corva chirped as well, rubbing her head gently against Raven's side. Raven picked her up with his free hand, and sat her next to her clutchmate. They sniffed and licked each other, before they curled up and fell asleep.

"That was easier than expected…" Raven muttered to himself, getting up to check on his twin. _'The hatchlings are asleep, so I should be able to sneak out and-'_ his thoughts were broken by a soft squeak. He turned around and saw the blue hatchling, looking back at him, wagging its tail. "Okay…" Raven sighed, picking it up. It chirped happily and fanned its large wings, obviously liking being held.

Raven left his room and shut the door behind him, not wanting Corva to get out and possibly get hurt. He carried the newly-hatched chick to the medical room, trying to find out what happened and how it was able to be missed by Donnie. He looked around, and nearly fell over when he saw Donnie _sleeping_.

"Donnie!" Raven shouted. Donnie yelped in surprise, falling off his chair. Raven couldn't help but snicker at his brother now sprawled across the floor.

"Joyce! What was that for?!" Donnie snapped, sitting up, trying to regain at least some of his dignity.

"Are you missing something?" Raven said, motioning to the now-empty eggshell on the table. Donnie looked to where he was indicating, and all the color drained from his face. "Don't worry Donnie, I have the hatchling right here…." Raven reassured him, holding out the blue and silver chick. Donnie sighed and got to his feet, walking over to his twin.

"I'm sorry Joyce, I guess I just dozed off and missed it hatching…" Donnie said somewhat sadly. Raven rolled his eyes.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up Donnie, so you dozed off? It's not a big deal… the hatchling's fine, so no harm done…" Raven said, trying to cheer his brother up. Donnie sighed and nodded slightly.

"I guess so…" he said quietly, before he looked up at the hatchling Raven was holding, "So… what are you going to name him?" he asked.

"I haven't given it much thought, really…" Raven said, looking down at the hatchling. The chick looked up and him and squeaked happily, licking his arm and purring loudly. Raven stroked him, making the hatchling purr even more loudly.

"Joyce… this one is Vareix too…" Donnie sighed, seeing the twin fangs in the hatchling's mouth. Raven nodded.

"I figured it was…" Raven said, "… but it doesn't matter. I'm sure I'll be able to keep him fed too…" he added, stroking the hatchling's head. The chick cooed loudly, closing his glowing eyes and purring softly.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Joyce… Vareix always turn on those that raise them…" Donnie said darkly. Raven sighed quietly.

"I know Donnie… but I can't just let Shadow's hatchlings be killed. It's not right…" Raven said, continuing to stroke the hatchling. He cooed and leaned into his hand, nuzzling him. Donnie looked the larger chick over.

"He's much bigger than Corva, but look at him. He looks… different…" Donnie said, indicating his almost skeletal appearance. Raven followed his gaze, until an idea struck him.

"I know what to name him…" he said suddenly, continuing to stroke the hatchling, "… Necro…"

Donnie looked up at Raven. "That seems to fit…" he said, looking back down at the hatchling. Necro purred loudly, flapping his grey wings again, snuggling into Raven's arms. "He seems to like you…" Donnie said, smirking slightly, "… by the way, where did you find him?"

"Well… he found me…" Raven said, "… I woke up, and he was on my shoulder. He must have tracked Corva down…"

Donnie looked down at Necro again. "Hmm… Horai did say hatchlings stick together and don't like to be separated…"

"Makes sense…" Raven said, looking over at Donnie, "… we're the same way. Ever since I stepped foot in this place, you haven't let me go three feet out of your sight…" he joked. Donnie rolled his eyes.

"I just worry about you, especially since you always did end up hurting yourself when we were little…" Donnie said, smirking. This time Raven rolled his eyes.

"Hey, at least I did fun stuff! You stayed inside and read all the time! That's boring!" Raven argued back.

"Okay okay, calm down Joyce, that's all in the past…" Donnie said, "Why don't you watch Necro and Corva while I go check on Shadow? I'm sure the hatchlings don't want to be left alone…."

Raven nodded and tightened his grip slightly on Necro. "Yeah I know… Corva starts crying if I set her down for more than a minute…" he sighed, "… Helkat… she's probably freaking out right now because I'm not there…" he groaned, not wanting to have to deal with a stressed hatchling, "I better go check on her… could you keep an eye on Necro and introduce her to Shadow, Donnie?"

"Of course Joyce…" Donnie said, taking the large hatchling from Raven. Necro settled into Donnie's arms and cooed happily. "Why don't you bring Corva out, so she and Necro can play when I'm done?" Raven nodded.

"I'll wait for you back here…" Raven said, "Keep a good hold on Necro, we don't want him running off on his own…" he warned. Donnie nodded, holding the blue hatchling carefully. Raven left his brother and Necro in the medical room, walking back towards his room.

* * *

Donnie looked down at the hatchling he was holding after Raven left. Necro looked up at him. "You know… I'm sure Shadow's fine… why don't you and I just wait for him and Corva to come back, so we can all go see Shadow together…" he said. Necro nodded, before he yawned quietly. "Yeah… I'm tired too…" Donnie said with a slight smirk, "I guess a quick nap wouldn't hurt…" he suggested. Necro wagged his tail in agreement. Donnie sat down in his chair and sat Necro on his lap, before he closed his eyes and lowered his head. Necro cooed and curled up on Donnie's lap, closing his eyes as well, falling asleep quickly.

* * *

Raven down the hallway towards his room. He had the distinct feeling Donnie probably hadn't gone to check on Shadow, since he was a little afraid of her. _'It doesn't matter… I'm sure Shadow's fine… and I want Donnie and Necro bond… he needs a partner… although I fear Necro may already be attached to me…'_ he sighed mentally.

As he turned the corner to the corridor his room was in, he sensed something was wrong. Raven wasn't exactly sure what gave him the feeling, but he feared something had happened to Corva. He picked up his pace, hurrying towards his room. _'Helkat… I hope Zeke didn't smell Corva out… there's no telling what he'd do to her…'_ he thought, hastening his pace a little more, growing worried that Corva was in danger.

A panicked cry from down that hall made him break into a run, now knowing something was wrong with Corva. He reached his room, and immediately realized the door was partly open. He distinctly remembered shutting the door before he left. Another cry from Corva made him push the door the rest of the way open, not caring what was on the other side.

What he saw made him freeze to the spot. A person he had never seen before was standing with his back to him, blocking his view of Corva…

* * *

**AN**- So… _lots_ of stuff happened in this chapter. ^^; The other egg hatched, Raven and Donnie both got scared to death, and now _someone_ is with Corva! Poor Raven never gets a break, does he? ^^; But now with that person there, who knows what'll happen! Is he friend or foe!? What does he want!? You'll just have to wait until next chapter to find out!! ^^ Thanks for reading!! **All flamers will be fed to Shadow!!** I will reply to all anonymous reviewers in my profile!! Thanks for reading!!

Note- I'm not sure if y'all have seen, but _Kokoro62_ and I coauthored a fic called _**Crimson Retribution**_. It's a pretty good fic, and I hope my readers check it out sometime. It's not my normal style, but it's still a pretty good read. So please check it out sometime. Kokoro and I would really appreciate it!! ^^

_**~Ibeyla ^^**_


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